Thursday, December 31, 2009

It is my distinct hope that all of you fine people will have a happy and prosperous new year awaiting them, from the moment the ball drops in your time zone. Celebrate a new decade, a new opportunity for growth, and a chance to reshape the world. (It's a long shot, but I believe it can be done.)But please celebrate sensibly.

If you choose to celebrate with flavorful ETOH containing beverages, please do not get behind the wheel of a car and drive. Have a designated driver. And if you are one, drink nothing and watch out for the idiots who will not read, nor would they heed, this advice.

What would happen to you if you were found to be chemically impaired while performing your duties, on your job?

The internet is abuzz with this video of what appears to be a slightly intoxicated Sen. Max Baucus of Montana. He's the blue dog Democrat who is one of the driving forces in advancing this farce they call a healthcare bill.

See what you think:

Many times, drunk people tend to slur their words. They also tend to iterate and reiterate, rant and rave, and generally repeat themselves over and over. If you listen to the entire video, you will note that Sen. Baucus is guilty on all of these counts.

And although it is not possible to prove in a court of law that he was drunk on the Senate floor without a blood alcohol test, it does raise some interesting questions for his constituency to ponder. But sadly, they just re-elected this guy to another six year term, in 2008. They are stuck with him for awhile, as is the rest of the nation.

Staying true to their plan, the Colts showed they cared little about an undefeated season. Coaches and management deemed it necessary to pull many of the key starters in the second half, having locked up the #1 seed in the AFC. And that was their decision, like it or not.

It was soon easy to see that Curtis Painter does not take enough quality snaps in practice to be ready to rally a team against another one that needs the win, just to stay alive. He is not ready for the big time just yet. Having said this, I must call out the Indianapolis fans at the game who showed the same utter classlessness that one expects in Oakland, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh -- not in Indy.

There is no need to boo a third string rookie QB, who has only preseason games on his resume.

It was not his fault, he was only doing what was asked of him and getting some OJT, in the process. He's no slouch. He was a standout at Vincennes (IN) Lincoln High School and Purdue. It's his first damned game as a pro. (As I recall, John Elway was benched after his first three games as a pro.)

To put it bluntly, I am stunned that the fans in this city would stoop to such a low level. This is not a case of poor play by a veteran player or stupid play calling by the coaching staff. So let it be known that I am ashamed to be in the same fan base and breathing the same air as these low-life pukes.

Painter will be a good QB someday, but I wouldn't be too sure it will be here in Indianapolis. I know if I were him, I'd be looking for a trade down the road and hope to have the opportunity to come back to Lucas Oil Stadium just to stick in the asses of those same ignorant pukes.

That's all I have this week. Feel free to comment on the other games while I wash my hands of the dirty bacterial stench that comes with being associated with the classless vermin, who present themselves as Colts fans. I hope everyone of them get rashes.

Now, I am willing to bet that most of my readers already know this and because of this, it would be a waste of time to feature this as my central point and theme. It's deeper than that.

Here's what I want to know:

What it will take to get people mad enough to make changes in their states and congressional districts next year?

Because the people who represent us are clearly not listening to their constituents. They can't be.

When only a minority of the people are for something and they ram it through anyway, it is the epitome of arrogance and certainly is indicative of a patronizing attitude. When these kinds of things become increasingly evident, we can no longer claim representative democracy. It is nothing less than dictatorship by committee. The only difference between this and what was in play in the old Soviet Union is we have the opportunity to throw these low-life bums out.

Our elected officials are nothing more than parasites, who have no private sector skills and no idea what it is like to work their asses off -- day in and day out. They vote themselves pay raises at every turn, in spite of the fact they ask the people to make certain sacrifices they are not willing to make.

The people who just spent last week in Denmark are no different either.

Many of them made the trips on private jets, ate meat at the many free feeding troughs offered at someone else's expense, and probably consumed massive amounts of power and electricity in the process. Yet, they seem to have no trouble chastising others who drive SUVs, enjoy a good steak once in awhile, and want to keep the thermostat high enough to stay warm in the midst of this freezing spell.

I tell you folks, it's a mad world we live in. And until the hard working people of this world get their heads out of the clouds and into what is happening around them, it's going to get worse.

Addendum:

Interesting piece at I Hate The Media. What makes a math major an expert in meteorology? When he writes his own Wikipedia entry.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Well, the blog host is 6-3 on his picks, with the last game to be played tonight.

The biggest surprise is the drubbing Minnesota received in Carolina last night. I didn't see it, but to lose to the Panthers this year isn't what a team wants. Dallas over New Orleans was a surprise, as well. But when the Cowboys play together, they are a mediocre team capable of upsetting great ones that aren't playing up to snuff. And what the hell was going on in Denver's heads? I cannot believe they lost to the lowly "full of disarray" Oakland Raiders.

The rest of the games went pretty much as I expected.

I had to feel bad for Miami, as I watched a good portion of their game. They played their hearts out, but fell just short to the Titans in OT. The Dolphins QB, Chad Henne, may keep the his job next year and Pennington may be the #2 (or on another team, altogether).

I do not feel bad for Green Bay losing on a pass play for a TD with no time left on the clock. I am not much of a Steelers fan, either. But they are pretty much toast and loved nothing more than seeing the Packers fall in a heartbreaker. Big Ben had over 500 passing yards, to lose it would have been tragic.

Well that's all I got to see and hear. We have adopted Greg's suggestion and we all see who participated. ;)

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Once again, it's the Yuletide season and time for the annual PYY Christmas extravaganza. This week we feature some excellent modern Christmas tunes, with modern being from my lifetime.

I did the studio version of this one last year. This year I found a live video from about 15 years ago:

Originally done by Brenda Lee, I think these girls do an excellent job of covering this Christmas classic:

Another Brenda Lee classic was redone by two guys who really rocked the 80s, with their unique rock and roll style:

Laugh if you want. But next to A Christmas Carol, my favorite Christmas movie is The Polar Express. If you have never seen this movie and have hardened yourself to the magical nature of Christmas, you need to see it.

I was able to see this movie again last weekend with my grandson. I must admit that he has partially been responsible for my regeneration from a Grinch to one who looks forward to the season. And as I watched it with him, I found this song from the movie still moves me greatly:

Someday my little one will no longer believe in Kris Kringle. But when that day comes, I will teach him what my father once told me. It was the same thing that I passed onto my children, when that moment in time came: Santa Claus is the spirit of giving.

Friday, December 18, 2009

These are my rankings. No formula, just one man's opinion (for whatever it is worth).

Please Note: I am not a scientist or any other form of industry professional. Do not take your rent, house or car payments, or other important bills (like utilities, food) and bet them based on my predictions.

(#1) Minnesota at Carolina

Minnesota

(#2) Indianapolis at Jacksonville

From last night on Thursday Night Football, it was Colts 35- 31. Jags needed it worse. The Colts have everything wrapped up and could rest some key people the rest of the way, but evidently the Colts players have convinced management to play for undefeated.

Dallas at (#3) New Orleans

New Orleans

(#5) Cincinnati at (#4) San Diego

San Diego, but this could be an upset if the Bengals get fired up in spite of the death of their WR.

Oakland at (#6) Denver

Denver

(#7) New England at Buffalo

New England

(#8) Arizona at Detroit

Arizona, easily.

Chicago at (#9) Baltimore

Baltimore

San Francisco at (#10) Philadelphia

Philly, but they must guard against complacency. SF has risen up on occasion and played some good football.

NY Giants at Washington

NYG, but only because I have to make a call on this one. The Skins have been playing better and could cherish the spoiler role.

Miami at Tennessee

Tennessee should take this one.

Sorry I cannot go into more detail about why I ranked them the way I did and the reason I picked them to win, at least not right now. Time hasn't been on my side lately.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

From an article published yesterday, we read about another inconvenient piece of misinformation by Al Gore -- the self appointed climate guru at large:

There are many kinds of truth. Al Gore was poleaxed by an inconvenient one yesterday.

The former US Vice-President, who became an unlikely figurehead for the green movement after narrating the Oscar-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, became entangled in a new climate change “spin” row.

Mr Gore, speaking at the Copenhagen climate change summit, stated the latest research showed that the Arctic could be completely ice-free in five years.

In his speech, Mr Gore told the conference: “These figures are fresh. Some of the models suggest to Dr [Wieslav] Maslowski that there is a 75 per cent chance that the entire north polar ice cap, during the summer months, could be completely ice-free within five to seven years.”

Nothing new here, this is the same old alarmist propaganda that he has been methodically spewing in robotic fashion, since his loss to George Bush in the 2000 Presidential Election. But wait, there seems to be some discrepancy as we read further in the article:

...the climatologist whose work Mr Gore was relying upon dropped the former Vice-President in the water with an icy blast.

“It’s unclear to me how this figure was arrived at,” Dr Maslowski said. “I would never try to estimate likelihood at anything as exact as this.”

So, a scientist would never try to pinpoint a prediction like this? Most scientists I have ever known are not likely to narrow their focus on little to anything, much less try to make bonehead predictions out of desperation.

And it is desperation that Al must be feeling right now. With the release of the CRU e-mails, the cooler than expected climate much of the world is seeing right now, and the defections of more scientists (from the "settled science" community to that of the doubtful), he's feeling the pressure.

Imagine the crow he was forced to eat, as reported later on in the same article:

Mr Gore’s office later admitted that the 75 per cent figure was one used by Dr Maslowksi as a “ballpark figure” several years ago in a conversation with Mr Gore.

The embarrassing error cast another shadow over the conference after the controversy over the hacked e-mails from the University of East Anglia’s Climate Research Unit, which appeared to suggest that scientists had manipulated data to strengthen their argument that human activities were causing global warming.

Imagine the crow that must be shared with the world leaders who have stepped out on the limb with Gore. I wonder what goes through Gordon Brown's mind. He is the one who once said that those of us who do not sign on to Al's way of thought are like "flat-earthers".

Or how about Nicolas "we must act" Sarkozy? This is the man who once said concerning a deal on climate change, "You cannot want to have the rights of great economic powers that you are becoming and abstain from your responsibilities. A great power has both rights and responsibilities, and this point is not open to negotiation." (This quote is from more than a year and a half ago, but the same impatience is prevailing in Copenhagen today.)

Al doesn't think much about negotiation. Nor does he like to answer questions from skeptical reporters either, as is evidenced by this scene:

Body language says it all. He looked like Bernie Madoff not wanting to incriminate himself, on camera.

At some point, when does it become criminal to perpetuate one of the costliest hoaxes ever? The family in Colorado is being made to pay for their hoax, due to the cost of the search and rescue mission. When will Al be made to pay?

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Overall, 44% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. That’s the lowest level yet measured for this president. Previously, his overall approval rating had fallen to 45% twice, once in early September and once in late November.

Fifty-five percent (55%) now disapprove.

Of course we all know that this poll doesn't count for much of anything, right now. The Administration hacks will be quick to point out that it's only a daily tracking poll that fluctuates up and down. And to some degree, they are right.

So, if I were to make an intelligent assumption here, I'd have to say that many people are souring on the President. Those who once thought this man to be the hope this nation needed are now seeing they made a serious mistake.

Most of us here at PYY knew this man was not the man for the job last year. And we know it now.

Most of us could not get excited about McCain either. But when we looked at the entire picture, we were able to see that the negatives that Obama brought to the table were way too large to ignore.

Maybe (just maybe) when all of this is said and done, these people who now see the error of their ways will learn something valuable from all of this, if they do not. I hope they learn, because they will bear the brunt of the failed policies of this Administration. I will be dead when the real pain hits.

Think it's bad now? If the nation doesn't wake up next year for Midterms, it's going to sink into a real abyss.

Someday, China will call back all of its notes -- while many of the younger generation will then be trying to put their kids through college and saving for their retirement. They will be the ones who will watch everything they worked for completely disappear. Despite playing by the rules, they will see their hopes and dreams vanish into thin air, while the Obama hacks live like royalty from the bribes and dirty transactions they took and committed, while in office.

But don't listen to me....I am just one of the many people that typed his ass off last year to prevent this from happening.

Monday, December 14, 2009

The thing about listening to a game on the radio for three quarters is you are at the mercy of the play-by-play announcers. Usually biased, they are pretty reliable of painting an accurate picture of how bad your team is playing when they are stinking up the field.

It seemed to be a tale of three games: The Colts dominating for most of the first half, the Broncos for most of the second half, and the Colts gutting out a game-winning drive in the final minutes to seal it. Essentially, the Indy offense did just enough in the opening of the game. But they did everything they could to hand it to Denver until that late drive. The only thing that kept the Broncos from dismantling Indy in their own stadium was the Indy defense, who gutted things out when it was necessary.

From the start of the second half, the Colts' defense gave up a lot of yards. They allowed the Bronco offense to move the ball at will, but made some significant plays to keep the Kyle Orton show from racking up a massive tally of points.

Manning didn't help matters much. Two interceptions could be flukes seeing how they were tipped. But he did throw one into a bad situation that resulted in a pick, and generally was off in most of the other throws that didn't end up in the hands of a Bronco. As I got home to view the lion's share of the fourth quarter, it was hard to believe that I was watching the same game the announcers were calling on the radio.

Here's the thing I need to stress. The Colts are living by the sword and running a risk of dying by it. They seem to put just enough good football together in a game to eke it out. But what's going to happen when the sword falls the other way one day, and it doesn't work out?

Winning is good, even if it's by the smallest of margins, But it's heartbreaking to fall short, when it counts most. And the history of the Indianapolis Colts bears this out.

Vikings 30 - Bengals 10

I have a friend at work who cannot wait to rub it in, when Favre loses. Last week he said that the Vikings aren't that good when they play teams above .500.

I hope I see him today.

Pats 20 - Panthers 10

NE could not afford to let this one slip away. Carolina is not good and NE is better than their record indicates. I don't care what Greg and the experts say, they will probably send someone home early from the playoffs. They may not go all the way, but some team may not live up to its potential one day and it will coast them a season. I know I don't want to have the Colts play them first.

The Pats should win out to close the season.

Saints 26 - Falcons 23

Atlanta is not the same team without Matt Ryan and Michael Turner. New Orleans barely squeaked this one out. This is why I cannot decide who will emerge from the NFC, them or the Vikes.

Titans 47 - Rams 7

Back to winning big against a lousy team. There is little doubt that Tennessee would be a play off team this year, if it had stuck Young in sooner.

Skins 34 - Raiders 13

Hooray for Rocket. Enjoy it now because the last three games are not going to be pretty.

Next week, I will try a different format to post the NFL commentary. Quite frankly, I am getting tired of this one.

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

It's not the H1N1, but I have caught a very mean bug in my sinus cavities. As a result of this uninvited viral invasion, I have not felt like writing much of anything and have spent some time on cold medications and sleeping. Making sense is difficult enough at my age, so I will not try to overcome the effects of artificial brain space creators to make any now.

I have to go have some unrelated medical tests today. Going through these will not pleasant.

Luckily, it sounds like most of the snow is going to miss us. But I hear the wind will be tropical storm force level and not be so pleasant to play in, especially when the temperature drops rapidly, as it is predicted to do.

Meanwhile, Mustang basks in the 80 degree Florida heat with Mai Tais. But rest assured, these acts of climate cooling defiance on his part will be coming to and end soon. He will soon be freezing in 50-60 degree weather and may have to turn his furnace on soon, to keep the alligators in his backyard warm.

Monday, December 07, 2009

I keep hoping the Colts will drop one to get the pressure off, but I find myself cheering for them anyway. This would have been the game I would have bet against my team, but it's a good thing I do not bet on sports.

The Titans had some chances after a fast start by Indy, but couldn't take advantage. Decisions to go for it late on 4th down put the game out of range when they could not convert. Had they kicked the FGs, the score would have been 27-23 and that was enough to put them into a position to win it, on their last possession.

But that wasn't the only problem Tennessee had. There were a lot of dropped passes by Titan receivers and the Colts defense did a good job of keeping Chris Johnson from breaking a big one. He got 113 yards on 27 carries, but his longest was only for 11 yards.

Next week the Colts get Denver at home and Tennessee gets St. Louis in Nashville.

Bengals 23 - Lions 13

Didn't see any of this one. Cincy pretty much has the AFC North locked up, but they must guard against lackadaisical play down the stretch if they want to have any chance to wrap up a bye.

Saints 33 - Skins 30

Didn't see it, saw frequent scores, and Washington was ahead most of the way. Networks picked up the last part of the game with the score Wash 30 - NO 23. Washington had a chance at a chip shot to seal it with less than 2:00 to go and they missed it. Then the bastards cut away to the Dallas - Giants game. Through frequent updates I learned, NO took over and Brees took them down for a TD to tie. NO then beat them in OT.

Thus ends the weekly Rocket ache and pain report.

Dolphins 22 - Pats 21

I don't know what to think here. Maybe Brady was hurt or like Greg says, they just aren't that good this year. Is the defense missing Seymour that much? Whatever, the Pats road woes continue.

Cardinals 30 - Vikings 17

Arizona is making a late season case for being a team to reckon with in the playoffs once again. But I am surprised Favre and company let this one get this far out of hand. Old man Warner still knows how to play too.

Saturday, December 05, 2009

In 2004, they reunited. During the down time, they both continued to record and only one was reasonably successful.

I think they were one of the better artists to come out of the 80s and I still like hearing their distinctive sound today. This week, we look at Tears For Fears.

The first tune up was off of their first release in 1983, called The Hurting. Adam Lambert from American Idol (the freak who got banned from ABC for stinking up the AMA's recently) tried to do it justice during his competition. I thought it was nothing more than a cheap imitation, myself.

This performance from 2006 is really quite awesome. Check it out:

This next one is from 1989. It comes from the same concert as the last song and is a jazzy little tune that is a signature tune that still gets a lot of airtime, on soft rock and adult contemporary stations everywhere:

Finally, here is one from 2004's reunion CD. This one sounds like it could have been a song from the Abbey Road album. Two songs in one, interwoven and carefully blended to produce a very versatile outcome:

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Many people are making the weakest of cases that FOX News is a threat to the democratic process. I was reading a message board on Facebook earlier and saw a thread started about how the writer was convinced that this is definitely the case.

We can always claim something. But it needs to be supported by sound evidence before we can claim that the debate belongs to any of us -- or our way of thinking. We cannot just claim to be right because we disagree with the content of such writings. We must show why.

The claimer in this case was asked a series of questions by a dissenter, in which the goal was to point out the opposite side of the spectrum. He wanted to show that MSNBC was just as guilty of distributing biased propaganda, but in my mind both are missing the greater point here.

A top Democratic lawmaker predicted on Wednesday that the government will be involved in shaping the future for struggling U.S. media organizations.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, saying quality journalism was essential to U.S. democracy, said eventually government would have to help resolve the problems caused by a failing business model.

Read the rest of it and by the time you finish it, you should be as concerned about this as anything. Knowing what we know about how the government loves to bailout companies that are "too big to fail", this should be enough to scare you silly.

We know that once the government "loans" any entity money, there are conditions set which are purely designed to punish and manipulate behaviors it deems as maladaptive. GM, AIG, and others have suffered the consequences of allowing the government to rescue them from failure.

It's being sold as the government being stockholders and they are merely exercising stockholders' rights. But make no mistake here, it's still interference and is more of a threat to the democratic process than anything else I can think of right now.

What worries me is thinking about how many of us who may think that the same thing will not happen, if the government is allowed to buy into the media? Do we not think they will try to kill a story they do not want told?

Imagine Pelosi, Schumer, Reid, Murtha, and other corrupt politicians not liking the press they are being given for their thieving, influence peddling ways. Then, just think about how they will have the power and ability to have people fired for it. Those responsible for reporting on their transgressions against the people will not stand a chance, they will be replaced by automatons.

Think about the power that can and will be wielded if this were allowed to happen.

If you are a Democrat and are enamored with this bunch that is in control now, just imagine if this were to carry over to a GOP controlled government. Don't sit their smug and arrogant, because the pendulum can/does swing back harder than you can imagine. Given the severity of the screw-ups your party will very likely not be in power for long, certainly not forever as some would have you to believe.

I don't agree with any one entity, any one party, one ideology, or one candidate. So I want all sides to be heard, regardless of how stupid one side may sound at a given moment. I want Kos to have the same opportunity to be heard as PYY, and others who think more along my lines. I want FOX, MSNBC, and CNN to all be allowed to say what they wish. I want to allow the market to dictate which is telling the truth, not the lying liars who inhabit Washington DC.

As the ignorant masses salivate over the Tiger Woods story, we need to really focus on what is important right now. We need to get rid of the career politicians who think they are above us, and desperately want to increase their power over us.

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Look, you are one of the top economists of our day. Many of us enjoy reading your well-thought out essays as often as you can churn them out. I know, I do. But please, stop with the silliness.

Speaking strictly personally, I cannot believe that you took the time to write something to and/or about a man who should already be smart enough to know this stuff. I cannot imagine that he does not have advisers who know it and really doubt someone hasn't already told him by now. Whatever compelled you to do such a thing?

Maybe you are asking yourself, "Why does LA I care about what I write?" It's not because I want to tell you what to do, that's for sure. Because you can also be sure that I believe in a strong free press and the freedom to express any opinion despite the validity, or lack thereof.

I just think that a man as brilliant as you are should not be wasting valuable time, money, and ink on a celebrity that has made a certain bed and may now be forced to lay in it. I think your time is much better spent on how the nation is going down into the hole, deeper and deeper by the day.

Maybe you could write something on the current healthcare bill and it's projected ramifications for the next generation or two. How about more on Washington's desire to take over more and more of the responsibilities of the private sector (and drive them into the ground with everything else they get their hands on)? Because we both know that everything, everything, the federal government touches turns into utter garbage.

You made a comparison to the situation with Mark Sanford, the Governor of South Carolina. At what point did a noted scholar such as yourself decide to equate an athlete with an elected official? Help me as I ponder this through, will you?

One man is put into his leadership role by the people. The other just knows how to use a talent God gave him, simply to make a living. (And he does it). A governor owes the people an explanation for what he did with public funds, while being employed by those people. An athlete owes us nothing.

Needless to say sir, you may surmise that I am a bit disappointed. It's not that you need my approval, either. But I think if you take a moment and think about what I have written here, you will plainly see that I whole-heartedly believe that you can do much better than this. There are many, many pressing issues this nation is facing right now and much of it has to do with money. Surely, there is something you can do to help facilitate the arguments that must be made right now.

As for Tiger, he will be fine. Eventually the press will make him cave and he will come clean with things, but only when he feels like it. I really do not care what he does either way, because my life does not live in the balance with this issue. Neither does my children's and grandchildren's future have anything to do with the decisions of Mr. Woods. But they do count when we speak about an out of control Congress, and an Executive Branch -- which has the least amount of private sector experience of any other in my lifetime.

I expect to hear about tawdry stories and the fallout from such things via those who specialize in tabloid media operations. So please understand something, will you? It is that very component that has kept this non-story alive and you have just helped them. Instead of helping us learn more about what you can teach us, you allowed yourself to be pulled into the world of cheap press, far away from the world of the true intelligentsia that you are used to.

Now, please for the love of humanity. Get back to work and help us make some sense of this damned world.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Blueprint, blueprint, blueprint!!!! Only one problem, Houston didn't close out the game. So evidently this was not the right one.

All kidding towards Greg aside, this was the right game plan for Houston or anyone for that matter. But it has to be executed, without penalties and turnovers.

The Colts got their asses handed to them in the 1st half and by that fact alone, it was hard to believe that Houston could have blown it. But in true Houston form, they found a way to get to the line and still not cross it. They just cannot seem to get over the hump, when it counts the most.

With this win and Jacksonville's loss, the Colts clinch another AFC South Division title. But the Colts will need to be alert next week, when the rejuvenated Titans come to town.

Philadelphia 27 - Skins 24

I actually got to see a little of this while in the bar at Buffalo Wild Wings. Washington was actually ahead and looked like they could pull it out. I left before the game was over and this is the score I found, when I checked it out later.

Sorry, Rocket. Maybe Santa will be extra good to you this year, to compensate.

Vikings 36 - Bears 10

Bears looked good at first, then the old man and his team took charge. I think the Vikings are the best team in the NFL right now. They are solid at every position, the way NE was a few years ago.

Chargers 43 - Chiefs 14

Must be nice for the overrated Chargers to feel good about beating up on a pathetic team. I suppose the sports pundits will be singing their praises all week for it. But the fact remains that 5 of their 8 wins have come against losing teams. And the rest of their schedule looks pretty cushy except for the Bengals and Titans.

Titans 20 - Cardinals 17

Tennessee continues ti impress in its bid to return to normalcy. Who knows? If they can win out, they may just get a wild card spot.

New England at New Orleans(Monday Night Football, 8:00PM EST)

Should be a very good game, the winner will be the one that does what they do best. That may mean the last team to score will win it.

It will be important for the defenses to play well when it matters most. Because it is not realistic that either defense can completely shut down the other offense.

While I cannot see NE losing another big game to another good team, the Saints will have home field. The thing that makes me lean toward NE most is Tom Brady. He has the experience in these types of games, while Brees is not used to this kind of success (despite the fact he is no rookie).

As I said, it will be a great game (one that will be on too late for me). Prediction: NE 30 - NO 28.

UPDATE:

Saints 38 - Pats 17

I guess I was wrong. Maybe the Saints are the team that has been getting overlooked, in the mix of things. The media has been giving the Colts and the Vikings much of the attention. But meanwhile, the Saints have been racking up wins, and now they have soundly beaten one of the better teams of the decade.

I didn't watch the game, because my day starts earlier than most other people's and I need the rest for what I must do. But imagine my shock as I see the score and look at the stats.

First Downs were NE 23 and NO 18, but total net yards were NO 480 to NE's 366. That means the Saints were able to get the ball down the field better. The thing that stood out when I saw the box score: Brees 158.3/Int 0, Brady 55.0/Int 2. That was a shocker. I guess one must credit the NO defense for making the plays they needed to, when they needed to do it.

As far as going undefeated goes, the Saints still have to play all of their division rivals one more time. Atlanta is the best of that lot and will not roll over. Other than those games, the rest of their games include Dallas and Washington. Unless they rest their players, I see them as a one loss team.

As for the Pats, they should run the table on the rest of their games. None of the teams left on their schedule have a winning record, right now. If they do and get some help, they could still get a bye week when the playoffs start.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Sometimes an artist is a much better songwriter than a performer. Not that he is a bad performer, but I think Leo Sayer was one of the better songwriters of the 70s. The problem for him at first was to get people to take him seriously.

When he first came out, he wore a clown suit to draw attention to himself while performing live. In his case it worked. Because while people were checking out the "dude in the clown suit", they were quickly finding the guy could write some darned good tunes and wasn't a bad singer as well.

If you mention his name today, you will likely invoke memories of his later music when his commercial success was more disco/bubblegum than I cared for. What many of those same people may not know or remember is, his best music came from when he wore that silly clown suit.

In this first song, we see that Leo could really rock. Here is a quintessential 70s rock song with some pretty poignant lyrics for a late 20 something:

I happen to think this next one was his best ever. It's a mellow and pensive tune about destitution and loneliness, and some of the misunderstandings that come with them:

Here is one from his later years that I was able to get into. It was a commercial success, but I still thought it was a great love song:

Friday, November 27, 2009

Many of us here at PYY know Mustang as the decorated career Marine that he is, but what some may not know is he also had a second stellar career, as an educator in the public school system. After many conversations with him over past few years, I have realized that his vast talent was wasted at that level.

Here is what Mustang may have looked like (sans the hair) at the college level where I think he could have done his best work:

(WARNING: Language Alert)

Featuring the late comedians Sam Kinison and Rodney Dangerfield.

(BTW-Mustang is back posting on a semi-regular basis, be sure to check his latest at the link above.)

Thursday, November 26, 2009

I truly hope this holiday message finds all of my readers well and in good spirits.

Life has a way of keeping us humble, especially when things aren't always going well. I know that in my life, I wish there were some things that were a little different from time to time. But then again, when I take a minute and think about it I have to conclude that I do not have it nearly as bad as many people I see on a daily basis.

Bottom line is, I have much to be thankful for and one of those things is the fellowship we have had here at PYY the past few years. People have come and people have left. But the core group of you, who still hang out here and add your two cents worth now and then, have brought much to the discussions. I have enjoyed it immensely and look forward to many more, as time goes on.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Remember the story about the census worker who was found hanging in Kentucky with the word "fed" carved into his chest?

It seems it came at a time when people on the left were wanting to cast aspersions on some others, mainly because they were not be in lock-step and alignment with the Administration's policies. You know, a dangerous bunch of people, anti- government types.

If you have ever wondered about how Islamic radicals respond when someone in their society who is not Muslim commits a heinous act, look no further than this AFP story.

Hundreds of Muslim protesters on Saturday burnt Christian-owned shops in southern Egypt and attacked a police station where they believed a Christian accused of raping a Muslim girl was being held, a police official said.

A Muslim man in the military shoots up an army installation killing innocent people, and the cry from all Muslims (moderate and otherwise) is to exercise caution and restraint. Here we have a Christian in Egypt who is being accused of a heinous crime. He is being held in jail, but evidently that's not good enough. Instead of hearing the same crowd calling for restraint in situations like this, we hear nothing.

This is the perfect moment, for those who claim moderation within the framework of what they call a "peaceful" religion, to take that very same step and call for their brothers to exercise restraint. This would be an optimal time to call a news conference and condemn this act of retaliation. But alas, there is nothing happening. They are silent.

Some may even seek to rationalize this violent reaction, in various ways. They may say these people are merely airing their grievances and that to deny these people a chance to do so is to suppress their rights as Muslims in a predominately Islamic country. To which I say, whatever.

There is a long history of Muslim suppression against other religions in regions where Muslims are a majority. Many have been driven out, forced to emigrate to other areas with more religious freedom and tolerance. But the Egyptian Coptic community has not.

Here is an excellent article to read on this community, read it when you get a moment. It's a story of perseverance and survival in the midst of a hate-filled and often times violent persecution. If after you read this and want to address someone who truly believes Muslims are being persecuted in this country, you can point them to this story.

Monday, November 23, 2009

A very tough football game, this one wasn't decided until the last possession.

The most obvious reason to as why this game went the way it did was the Colts' red zone defense. Anytime a team can hold the opposition to FGs while scoring TDs, it makes it tough.

Put this with the late game interception, the late hit penalty that kept the ball in Indy's hands right after a loss, and Harbaugh calling a timeout and then immediately challenging a spot - which he lost - and it doesn't make for a good ending. That last stunt depleted their timeouts.

If that wasn't enough, on his way down to the ground, Ed Reed tried to lateral the ball forward on the final kickoff with seconds left and it was ruled a fumble. The Colts recovered it and took a knee to run the clock out.

I am always tickled to see the Colts beat Baltimore, because of the unforgiving nature of those fans who still hate the Colts for leaving their city a quarter of a century ago. I remember the hatred because Indy stole the Colts right out from underneath, but in true hypocritical fashion those same fans embraced the Ravens when Baltimore stole them from Cleveland.

It is nice to be undefeated, but I am not ecstatic about it. Because the longer a streak like this goes, the more pressure it puts on a team. From my point of view, I am ready for the team to get a loss and get it out of the way.

Vikings 35 - Seahawks 9

The old man just keeps on keeping on. Credit the entire Minnesota team for making it look easy for Favre. But we have to ask, could Tarvaris Jackson have this team 9-1 at this point in the season?

I doubt it.

Chiefs 27 - Steelers 24Not sure about Ben's status after getting knocked out of the game in OT, but it was the Pittsburgh defense that lost this one. I don't know, maybe this is the beginning of the decline for the Steelers. It's very hard to repeat in this league, losing to the hapless Chiefs this late in the year doesn't send any messages to anyone, for the playoffs.

These are the only games I have time to comment on this weekend. Any omission of anyone's team is purely coincidental and it leaves an opening for my faithful NFL commenters (all 4 of them) to put more into their weekly comments. All rights reserved, no refunds.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

This week we have a couple of artists from the mid to late 60s, whose songs remind me of listening to the old stereo console and the transistor radio I carried while walking around the neighborhood, in San Bernardino. These tunes were just two of the many staples heard frequently on the old KFXM 59 and KMEN 129, on your AM dial.

Needless to say, these bring back some memories for me. I hope they will with you too.

Here is one from 1969:

This 1965 song was the man's only #1 hit. I liked it, but I thought it sounded a little too much like Frankie Valli. See what you think:

This was a British act that had some soul in them. Great lyrics and catchy melodies made both of these run through my head - when I couldn't listen. This one is from 1967 and reached #1 in both the UK and US.

This one only reached #2 here in the US, but I happen to like it a smidgen better that the previous tune. Not a whole lot, but a little. It's from 1968:

Thursday, November 19, 2009

What does it take to get a wavering senator to vote for health care reform?

Here’s a case study.

On page 432 of the Reid bill, there is a section increasing federal Medicaid subsidies for “certain states recovering from a major disaster.”

The section spends two pages defining which “states” would qualify, saying, among other things, that it would be states that “during the preceding 7 fiscal years” have been declared a “major disaster area.”

I am told the section applies to exactly one state: Louisiana, the home of moderate Democrat Mary Landrieu, who has been playing hard to get on the health care bill.

Sweet little Mary, you know the one. She's the moderate from Louisiana and the one who said she would punch George Bush, if he or anyone from his administration criticized the miserable response from the New Orleans Police in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

As it turns out she may have been holding out, but not because it's a bad idea. She's been holding out for a cash payout for her district. I suspect that most of the so-called moderates (like my Senator Evan Bayh) are doing so too.

I would like to take a moment to remind my citizens in the great state of Indiana that Sen. Bayh is up for re-election next year. And I would also like to add that we don't need no damned earmarks here. We will survive just fine without putting my grandson into hock, before he graduates kindergarten. It just isn't worth it

With the healthcare debacle playing out in Congress, wheels spinning and going nowhere fast in Afghanistan, the handling of the Ft. Hood terrorist attack, and the idiotic decision to try the admitted mastermind of the 9/11 attack in New York, Obama's numbers continue to drop.

In this Quinnipiac poll just released, he has dipped below 48% approval rating. If you look at the numbers closer, you will see an even more alarming finding in this poll. While the findings are not unusual along party lines, his disapproval rating among independents is higher than his approval.

You will also note a remarkably high spread in this area, when you look at the military family numbers. This means he is losing the confidence of the rank and file military.

Basically, the only people he is maintaining a lock on is the moonbat population and those who do not want to admit they screwed up badly, by voting for him. But one by one, slowly, they are beginning to eat humble pie. And when all is said and done, he is looking more like a one-termer everyday.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

We are keeping this medical for now, so let's keep our mind right for a moment and take a look at this.

Women in their 40s should not get routine mammograms for early detection of breast cancer, according to updated guidelines set forth by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Before having a mammogram, women ages 40 to 49 should talk to their doctors about the risks and benefits of the test, and then decide if they want to be screened, according to the task force.

Task force? Now there's a term I'd like to explore for a moment.

Just what was the make-up of this "so-called" government task force?

Well, the article tells us what it was NOT:

The task force is composed of 16 health care experts, none of whom are oncologists. The group reviews medical data and bases recommendations on effectiveness and risks involved.

This is where the entire thing loses any possibility of having any credibility, at all.

Welcome to Obamacare. Welcome to government run healthcare. Here we have a government entity formulating policy on cancer prevention, and not one of the members was an oncologist. Welcome to the age of Orwellian philosophy, as it was written.

The story says "16 health care experts". Does this mean they are doctors, nurses, radiologists, healthcare administrators, or bean-counters at an HMO? Maybe, some of them were housekeepers in a hospital.

This is what happens when the government is awarded too much power. Luckily, most doctors are probably going to disregard the advice. But what if you or someone you love falls into this age group, after being forced into a public option? How would you feel?

If I were you, I'd be afraid of what the government says and does (especially when they put us all at risk).

Monday, November 16, 2009

I didn't stay up to watch this one, because my day starts so early and lingers on so late. At my age, sleep is more important than a regular season football game (even if it is a rivalry like this). But can you imagine my surprise to wake up and find that NE's Coach Belichick had given Indy the game, by making a stupid call late when the game was on the line.

I know. It's one of those things that makes you a genius when it works, but an idiot when it fails. But I will be most interested to see how the Boston media treats this. In fact, I am anxiously awaiting to hear the weekly lambasting from Greg. (Maybe Eli and the Giants are off the hook this week.)

In everything I read and heard this morning, the Pats had this game and should have won it. Hell, I was even predicting a NE win; because the Colts haven't really beaten the same quality of opposition that the Pats have. Meanwhile the Colts haven't been playing very well the last two games, and the Pats have. And injuries, well, the Colts defense is riddled with them.

But the big thing is plain and simple. Everyone that has ever followed Peyton Manning's career knows that if you hand him the ball in your own territory, with 2 minutes or more to go in a close game, there's a far better chance you'll get burned than not. The man that many have termed a coaching genius should have known this. Maybe he's human after all.

If his Chrstmas spirit did arrive early, I have to say thanks to Coach Bill and maybe we'll see you back here in January. Hell, I'll even buy you some lunch at Scotty's Brewhouse.

Bengals 18 - Steelers 12

They have swept Baltimore, now they have swept the Steelers. If anyone doubts the reality of Cincinnati being one of the elite teams in the NFL, they don't know football very well. It wasn't done with bombs to Coles or Ochocinco, it wasn't done with Benson grinding out a methodical running game. It was done with good old fashioned powerhouse defense. The Bengals did not allow the Pittsburgh offense, one single TD.

Skins 27 - Broncos 17

Shock and disbelief are the words I use to describe this score. I knew Denver was overrated, I knew they had some injuries. But going into this game thinking that Washington had a chance to win this game was an extreme miscalculation on my part.

(Oh... to have had a crystal ball, $100,000 in expendable cash, and physically be in Vegas with nothing else to do. Mr. Sunsett could have made Mrs. Sunsett very happy, after collecting the winnings.)

Panthers 28- Falcons 19

Another shocker. Atlanta is still a game ahead of Carolina, but a mile behind the Saints. The Falcons are fighting for a wild card spot, therefore they must win the games they are supposed to win - no ifs, ands, or buts.

Dolphins 25- Bucs 23

All of you Tampa fans who called for (and were pleased with) the firing of Gruden, how do you like this? Last year this time, your team was competing for the division. Now... all your team is vying for is a high draft pick.

Way to go, Tampa.

Go team go.

Saints 28 - Rams 23

I cannot imagine why NO played this one so close. I know they weren't looking ahead to next week's big matchup....with Tampa Bay. They must be looking ahead to two weeks from now, and their match with the Pats. They need to watch out. TB is a division rival that no matter how lousy they may be, this is still the NFL.

Titans 41 - Bills 17

Three in a row with Young at the helm. Makes one wonder what could have happened, if he'd been the man from the jump.

No matter.... the future of the team is now in his hands. My advice to him is to refrain from whining, take advantage of the opportunity (which is a great second chance to prove himself) and win games.

If this is truly his team, he needs to grow up and take charge of it like a man and not a kid. Play time is over Vince....you hold the key to your own success, and a franchise's future.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

This week, we go back to the 50s and listen to some tunes that were part of the transition from big band to rock and roll. This first artist's career was tragically cut short in a plane crash, with several other rising talents of that day. But as short as his career and life were, his music has influenced many after him and is still revered as one of the premier songwriters of all-time.

This is one of the sweeter melodies and songs I have ever heard:

This next artist was one that had moments where he was hailed as one of the more versatile talents of his generation. In this song, you can hear the influence of Sinatra in his voice and style:

This next song was one that my parents loved immensely. I think it's a timeless classic:

Another timeless classic, in my book, I am hard pressed to find a better song from any era. It always makes me think of the movie of the same name, which is also one of the better flicks I have seen (it describes much of what I felt as a young boy, the same feelings and emotions as those characters described in their dialogues):

Friday, November 13, 2009

When I was but a young lad, Saturday night was Carol Burnett night. This week, we take a look at one of that fine show's many recurring skits. See if you are old enough to remember this one and if you are not, give it a look anyway.

McIntyre and Davis, who works as a production manager in the school's theater department, are both regulars at Toast, a popular university bar on Broadway and 125th Street, sources said.

The professor, who is black, had been engaged in a fiery discussion about "white privilege" with Davis, who is white, and another male regular, who is also white, Friday night at 10:30 when fists started flying, patrons said.

The poor black university professor, who is being kept down by the white man, hits a white WOMAN because she disagreed with him on race relations. A man who thinks he has gotten a raw deal in life (because he is black) punches a female who works at his university, but probably does not have the same level of education nor does she have the same name recognition. I'll bet she probably voted for Obama.

But let's be careful not to jump to conclusions here. It may be that poor Lionel was having a bad day. I am sure race played no part in it whatsoever.

Call me crazy, but I understand how Lionel McIntyre felt. I would never punch out anyone from the frustration I've felt when dealing with white privilege, but then again, that is probably why I chose not to drink alcohol, since I am genuinely concerned about how I might react to the stinging pain of consistent racism. What is also true is that although some black scholars are afraid to admit it, many of us have felt incredibly angry and irritated by the arrogant nature of white privilege within academia. It's not that black scholars dislike their white colleagues, it's that many of us are tired of being thought of as second-class citizens.

No doubt, he too has been kept down by whitey, even though he has a doctorate. If he got it as a result of affirmative action, what the hell does he care? He got his, didn't he? If he worked his butt off for it like many others do and got nothing from government grants, what the hell does he care? He obviously didn't need help. Did he?

But more importantly, we are seeing a frightening pattern of behavior develop among black academics. First we had the Gates incident, now we see this one taken to a higher level; probably because the lady this bastard punched was not a cop, and was a woman not likely to fight back. What a brave man he is.

Dr. Watkins in his weak argument did make one statement that I agree with:

While no one needs to be punched, there certainly needs to be a conversation.

He's right, but with one caveat. A conversation has two components: Listening and talking. And might I remind these race baiting professors whose names appear in this post, the number of organs that are used for both -- show a 2-1 margin.

Lecturing is not a conversation and if that's all they are prepared to do, it will fail.

Calling a man a klansman is not a conversation and if that's all they are prepared to do, it will fail.

Punching a woman in the face is not a conversation either. But it is a statement. Are you out there women's groups?

About Me

I am a political independent that belongs to no political party. I base my political ideology solely on principle, and not by daily talking points.
I am a non-denominational Christian that belongs to no church. I have incorporated many different beliefs into my personal theology and rely on no one entity to influence my personal beliefs.
Above all, I am a free thinker and value the right and ability to express my thoughts, without fear and regret.

Comment Policy

All comments are welcome, regardless whether they are in agreement with the opinions expressed here or not. The only rule is that we keep them directed and confined to the argument being made. This means no personal attacks directed towards another poster.

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Either way, know that all views are welcome. And as always, thank you for reading PYY.